Top places won by Chch Maori culture group

Press, 14 July 1980, Page 2

Top places won by Chch Maori culture group

The Otautahi Group, from Christchurch, scored most points over all in both the senior and the junior Waitaha -Maori cultural competitions in the Christchurch Town Hall on Saturday evening.

The group, third in the national Polynesian competitions at Lower Hutt last year, faced strong competition, but was superior on the night. In the open section, Otautahi won the best poi, best original action song, best haka, and best Whaikorero. In the junior section, Otautahi won the choral and ancient item .. sections and shared the best action song prize with Te Kotahitanga.

Te Kotahitanga won the senior choral and senior ancient item sections, as well as the incentive prize for the new junior group. ‘,, Aorangi,. of Twizel, won the open prize: for best cos-

tume and the prize for new senior group. In the intermediate section, Te Waipounamu Giris’ Hostel won the choral and action song sections, and shared the ancient item prize with Te Kaihanga, which took the aggregate prize. The member of Parliament for Southern Maori (Mrs Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan) told the big audience that New Zealanders did not appreciate the immense discipline of Maori culture, as well as its spontaneity. She congratulated the participants on their display of discipline. The competitions are organised annually by the Waitaha Maori Cultural Council. Christchurch will be host later thia year for the South Island cultural competitions. Six teams from the South Island will go to the Polynesian Festival.